Five questions the Longhorns must answer to actually be 'back' this season

[primal defense]

I would make it six and include the linebackers.


Texas football 2019: Five questions the Longhorns must answer to actually be 'back' this season




https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/texas-football-2019-five-questions-the-longhorns-must-answer-to-actually-be-back-this-season/

 

[primal defense]

Longhorns RB Jordan Whittington already producing explosive plays




https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texas-sports-nation/college/article/Texas-RB-Jordan-Whittington-already-producing-13757700.php

 

[primal defense]

Back in Carolina Blue, Mack Brown Is Rebooting UNC With Something Old and Something New






https://www.si.com/college-football/2019/04/11/mack-brown-north-carolina-recruiting-unc-tar-heels

 

[primal defense]

. Farrell's intriguing QBs




 

 




Tate Martell


Scott Stuart/BuckeyeGrove
My most intriguing quarterbacks I’m excited to see next season:

1. 


Tate Martell
, Miami – Why Martell at No. 1? Because I’ve been waiting to see him run a college offense forever and I can’t wait to see how his skills translate. He was so fun to watch in high school; he’ll be the same way in college.

2. 

Justin Fields
, Ohio State – Fields is replacing Martell, so to speak, at Ohio State, but is really filling the shoes of 

Dwayne Haskins
, which is tough. But this is a talented kid who can do big things in his first year if Ryan Day lets him loose.

3. 

Shea Patterson
, Michigan – This will be Patterson’s second year in the Michigan offense and it’s expected to be up-tempo, which plays to his strengths. He could have a huge year.

4. 

Trevor Lawrence
, Clemson – We already know how great he is and no sophomore slump is expected, but can he take it to yet another level? He can, and he’s my Heisman pick.

5. 

Sam Ehlinger
, Texas – Leadership is key and Ehlinger is a great leader, but he’s also a terrific talent. The Big 12’s Tim Tebow this year? He could be.

6. 

Tua Tagovailoa
, Alabama – Can Tagovailoa shake off the rough championship game and get back to the near perfection he showed all last season? He can and he’ll have Bama back in the playoff.

7. 

Jalen Hurts
, Oklahoma – Hurts is not the passer that 

Kyler Murray
 is, but he can run and keep defenses off-balance. He’s replacing back-to-back Heisman winners so the pressure is on, but Oklahoma is still the team to beat in the Big 12.

8. 

Adrian Martinez
, Nebraska – He matured so much last year, it was fun to watch. I think he takes a huge step forward this season. By his junior year he’ll be one of the best quarterbacks in the country and this year he’ll be one of the tops in the Big Ten.

9. 

JT Daniels
, USC – His freshman year was up and down, but with a new offense that will play to his strengths, he can have a huge season and get USC back to winning. The question is – can he save Clay Helton’s job?

10. 

Feleipe Franks
, Florida – Can he take Florida to the next level offensively? Can he hold onto his job? It’s boom or bust for Franks, which is always interesting. No 

Jake Fromm
 on my list? Nah, I’d rather see guys like Franks where you just don’t know what you’re going to get.

11. 

Kellen Mond
, Texas A&M – Can Mond become a Heisman candidate at A&M under JimboFisher and take a huge next step or will he continue to be great one game and struggle the next?

12. 

Justin Herbert
, Oregon – He could have been the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, so big things are expected and he has a ton of talent around him.


https://n.rivals.com/news/three-point-stance-hot-teams-in-2020-recruiting-intriguing-qbs

 

[primal defense]

New rights deal gets Big 12 as close as possible to its own network with football title games on ESPN




https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/new-rights-deal-gets-big-12-as-close-as-possible-to-its-own-network-with-football-title-games-on-espn/

 

[primal defense]

Nobody should be really surprised if they are a contender for the Playoff': What one national expert thinks of Texas football in 2019




Tom Herman and the Texas Longhorns are now in Year 3 of a rebuild and have heightened expectations following a 10-4 season, Big 12 championship game berth and a Sugar Bowl victory. 

The Dallas Morning News recently spoke with George Schroeder, a national college football writer for USA Today and radio host for College Sports on Sirius XM, to preview some important storylines for the Longhorns in 2019.

Here are highlights from the Q&A:

Will Bru McCoy's waiver end up getting approved by the NCAA, especially considering the approvals granted for Justin Fields at Ohio State and Tate Martell at Miami?

Schroeder: I assume he has a pretty good shot at getting it approved because it seems like they're being a little more loose giving the waivers out. Obviously each one of them has their own set of parameters, and we don't really understand how or why they're doing it because we don't know the full story of what the actual appeal for the waiver was with each of these. But based on what we know, it seems like they're being a lot more relaxed and giving them out a lot more easily. 

I've always thought that Bru McCoy's, of any, should be one that gets granted and he should be immediately eligible because of the unusual factors. You're talking about a guy who was an early enrollee, he'd been on campus at USC for about five minutes. The reason he decided to come there was Kliff Kingsbury and then he takes the Arizona Cardinals job. I understand he's an offensive coordinator and not the head coach at USC, but it's still an interesting factor. So you're dealing with a guy who could still be in high school. You're not dealing with a guy who sort of knows the ropes and has been in college for a couple years and now he wants to leave because his coach left. So to me, all of those factors make his case very strong. 

If he had not enrolled, if he'd just signed a letter of intent last December during the early period, there would be no question he'd get let out of the letter of intent -- probably would have already happened -- and he would be immediately eligible at Texas after he enrolled. Obviously he'd instead enrolled and actually went to class at USC, and that makes it different, technically. But I just think given his unique situation, it ought to happen.





With Texas losing eight starters on defense, will the unit take a step back or will a reload of fresh talent surprise people?

Schroeder: I think the big question is on the defensive line, and that's always probably the most important part for any football team any year. Obviously trying to address that this spring, maybe it goes into August and we'll see. 

You lose several guys in the secondary who are really talented, but the secondary struggled (last year). It wasn't exactly a lockdown unit for much of the year. When you're trying to be Big 12 championship level, big Playoff contender level, I do think there was some improvement that could be made there. It hurts to lose the experience in the secondary, but it's possible you might end up with more talent at some point in the near future than you've had. 

I do think that overall the defense will take some adjustments. I don't know if they'll be as good, certainly right off.

Can QB Sam Ehlinger legitimately make a push for the Heisman?

Schroeder: I think if Sam stays healthy, you're looking at a guy who has every chance to be in the Heisman conversation. Staying healthy is a big deal for him because of the style of play and the physical running that he does. But if he does (stay healthy), then he's proven himself as a playmaker and as a winner at Texas, and that's the biggest piece of it. 





The one thing I would say is, Texas needs to be in the Playoff chase and in the Big 12 chase deep into November. This is a situation where Texas needs to be in the mix and kind of in the Playoff conversation for him to have a legitimate shot. But I do think going into the season, you have to look at him and go, that is very potentially a Heisman contender, just based on what he's done and what you think Texas has maybe the potential to do. 

Do the Longhorns have a real chance at making the College Football Playoff? Or are they still a year away?

Schroeder: There's no question I'll know a lot more and we'll all know a lot more about Texas after the second Saturday of the season when they play LSU in Austin. I think LSU has a chance to be pretty good and they definitely have a lot of talent, and it will be one of those SEC-Big 12 kind of showdowns that we all attach too much significance to in terms of the leagues. But it has a chance to really show us what Texas might be able to do. So I'm looking forward to seeing that.

Obviously they've got to replace a bunch of guys on defense, you've got three starters that have to be replaced on the offensive line, but it's a big deal to bring back a guy like Sam Ehlinger. I think they've already shown us that they're close to being a legitimate threat to what Oklahoma has been in the Big 12. At one point I thought Oklahoma would take a step back because of losing Kyler Murray, and now I think getting Jalen Hurts sort of changes the equation a little bit. I don't think Oklahoma is going anywhere, but what we saw out of Texas last year shows that Tom Herman has them coming and coming fast. 

They might still be a year away, but nobody should be really surprised if they are a contender for the Playoff, if they are legitimately a contender to be the Big 12's best team. We've already seen them do it on one Saturday in October against Oklahoma. They were the better team that day. Can they be the better team for the course of a season? I don't think we know.

Should Texas and Oklahoma be penciled in for the Big 12 championship game again or do you suspect another team may emerge in that picture?

 
Schroeder: I like Brock Purdy at Iowa State, but if you want to talk about the two most talented teams in the conference, it's Oklahoma and Texas, probably in that order just because Lincoln Riley's had a little bit more of a head start in terms of building depth on the roster. But I think those are the two most talented teams. I hate to keep going back to Sam Ehlinger, but quarterback has never been more important in college football than it is right now. And so if we're sitting right here in April, I'd have to say yes, I think you would pencil those two teams in of anybody.

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/texaslonghorns/2019/04/11/nobody-really-surprised-contender-playoff-one-national-expert-thinks-texas-2019

 

[primal defense]

The under-the-radar star on each Top 25 college football team





No. 7 Texas: Running back Keaontay Ingram

The Longhorns have been too reliant on quarterback Sam Ehlinger for a running game over the past two years. To take pressure off Ehlinger and keep him healthy, Texas needs Ingram, a promising sophomore, to help supply more of a steady ground game from the running back position. -- Trotter

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/26518222/the-radar-star-top-25-college-football-team

 

[primal defense]

 Coach Herman, get Jordan Whittington the ball this fall


There wasn’t a whole lot of offense on display at the Orange-White game, but freshman running back Jordan Whittington looked anything but a newcomer from first glance. The Cuero product is big and fast — a great combination for a player of multiple skill sets — and will provide a great complement to Keaontay Ingram, who has added 15 pounds of muscle to his frame.

Whittington can run it and catch it, as displayed by his Texas debut Saturday — 62 yards rushing and 27 receiving — and there’s a sense that we just got a small glimpse at what he’s fully capable of doing. Coach Tom Herman even mentioned him when talking about the receiving corps after the game. I would expect to see him lined up out wide to get favorable matchups this fall with Ingram in the backfield.

That’s one thing about having weapons: You can put them anywhere as long as you find a way to get them the ball. Whittington is one of those types.

https://www.hookem.com/2019/04/16/golden-coach-herman-get-jordan-whittington-ball-fall/

 

[primal defense]

Texas football is ... Back? Overrated? A Complete Mystery?




Apr 12, 2019

• 
  
  
  
  Sam Khan Jr.ESPN Staff Writer

AUSTIN, Texas -- Tom Herman is in a good mood these days.

As he enters his third year at Texas, the Longhorns have made significant progress under his watch. In January, they wrapped up their first double-digit-win season since 2009 with a Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia. He has turned in consecutive top-10 recruiting classes. The Longhorns have the same starting quarterback for the third straight season, something that couldn't be said of the rest of this decade.



 
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Herman's desired culture is set. Expectations are understood. What's left in the "Texas is back" tour is competing for and winning a championship.

"Obviously we've got a lot of work to do on the field," Herman said. "But these guys are a joy to be around. I love coming to work every day. The guys do a good job policing our culture, the players do."

Flipping the culture was a crucial part of Herman's building project. There was endless talk about being "1-0" every day. Bodies had to be reshaped by strength coach Yancy McKnight. The talent, quite simply, had to be upgraded. And players had to understand what Herman believed to be the most important aspects to their on-field success.

"It was starting to shift last year," Herman said. "These days I do a lot less running. We tell our guys all the time, 'There's two demands in this program that are non-negotiable, and that's effort and ball security.' And if you see a guy loaf, you'll see eyes changing colors or smoke coming out of ears.

 




Can Tom Herman lead the Longhorns to even more wins in his third season? Tim Warner/Getty Images

"Or a guy carrying the ball loose, it's not me running after the perpetrator, it's usually some player, saying 'Hey, that's not how we do things.' That's pretty cool to see."

Those positive trends combined with a strong finish to 2018, in which the Longhorns made the Big 12 championship game and dominated the Bulldogs in New Orleans, have observers bullish on Texas in 2019.

The Longhorns dot the top 10 in various "way-too-early" top 25 national rankings, but the metrics are more skeptical of Texas at this point. ESPN's Football Power Index has the Longhorns outside the top 25 (they check in at 26th) while Bill Connelly's S&P+ projections has Texas even lower, at 35th.

That's not necessarily unusual (insert your Texas-is-back or preseason rankings joke here), but it is fascinating, because the Longhorns are a team that seems to be on the rise even if it's hard to pinpoint where their 2019 ceiling is.

The reasons those metrics might be skeptical could be related to a couple of areas of concern for Herman this spring: the loss of defensive leadership and the lack of big plays on offense last season.

On defense, there are numerous voids to fill.

A host of veteran, multiyear starters are gone: the entire 2018 starting defensive line (Charles Omenihu, Chris Nelson, Breckyn Hager), two of the three starting linebackers (Anthony Wheeler, Gary Johnson), both starting corners (Kris Boyd, Davante Davis) and the starting nickelback (P.J. Locke III).

That doesn't mean there isn't talent in the pipeline. Herman is comfortable with the ability of the players who will take over. What he is concerned with -- and a focal point for the defense this spring -- is developing players who can lead in the way those did.

"These guys have been vocal leaders," Herman said, referring to his bygone defensive seniors. "We just have to develop some more vocal leadership from some of these guys that are not used to that role."

Safeties Brandon Jones and Caden Sterns have already established themselves as playmakers at Texas. Both, however, are sidelined this spring with injuries, and Herman noted that it's "tough to lead from a scooter on the sideline."

One player Herman increasingly has looked to this spring is senior defensive end Malcolm Roach, who has 34 games under his belt.

"He's a guy everyone's respected but has always acquiesced to the Wheelers, the Maliks [Jefferson], the Charleses, the Breckyns of the world," Herman said. "He was the Plan B leader if you will. Now he's Plan A. He's getting used to that role."

Senior Jeffrey McCulloch, who has appeared in 36 games, is a returning starter who will also be looked to for leadership.

 



Tom Herman has stability at quarterback with Sam Ehlinger. Eric Gay/AP Photo

Offensively, the Longhorns are in a better situation when it comes to experience and leadership. Sam Ehlinger is entering his third season as the starting quarterback, receiver Collin Johnson spurned the NFL draft to come back for one more year, receiver Devin Duvernay is entering his senior season and the offensive line is sprinkled with veterans, including senior Zach Shackelford and junior Derek Kerstetter.

Where Texas' offense must get better is in the big-play department. The Longhorns were one of only two teams in the FBS in 2018 to not have a single play from scrimmage of at least 50 yards.

"We had to get more athletic offensively," Herman said.

And so they did, or at least it appears so based on the early returns from their 2019 recruiting class. Jordan Whittington, the ESPN 300 athlete from Cuero (Texas), has already impressed in spring drills. He's cutting his teeth at running back, but could also find some time at slot receiver eventually, too.

"He's really smooth," Herman said. "When you watch him there's not a whole lot of wasted movement ... It doesn't take seven steps to change direction."

Bru McCoy, the ESPN 300 receiver who initially enrolled at USC before transferring to Texas in January, has also impressed thus far. It's not certain if he'll be immediately eligible to play this season as Texas awaits the NCAA's ruling on McCoy's waiver application, but Herman has praised his work ethic, versatility and competitive fire.

Add in ESPN 300 receiver Jake Smith, the Gatorade National Player of the Year who will arrive in the summer, and the Longhorns have an influx of speed to complement an already solid talent base on offense.








More important, to Herman, is that the team maintains what it did well in 2018, even as it pursues more eye-popping plays.

"How do you win 10 games with no plays over 50 yards on offense?" Herman asked. "We do it because we ran the ball when we needed to, we were efficient on third down and we only turned the ball over 11 times in 14 games. I think they all believe in that."

The Longhorns will have to ably answer the above concerns in order to challenge Oklahoma's stranglehold on the Big 12 crown. Naturally, that's top of mind right now, isn't it?

"Nope," Herman said. "It's going 1-0 today. And then 1-0 tomorrow. And then, when it gets time, we'll worry about beating Louisiana Tech."

http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/26501666/texas-football-back-overrated-complete-mystery

 

[primal defense]

Why Jordan Whittington is the Texas Longhorns' breakout player of the spring



Jordan Whittington arrived at Texas in January with lofty expectations and a month removed from one of the biggest performances in Texas high school football history.

The five-star Cuero product dominated the Gobblers' 4A Division 2 state title win over Pleasant Grove at AT&T Stadium, totaling 377 yards -- including 334 on the ground, which broke NFL legend Eric Dickerson's Texas state title game record -- six touchdowns and 11 tackles, leading to him claiming the game's offensive and defensive MVP awards.

Fast forward to now, and in the short time that the Longhorns have had their hands on him, Whittington has been one of Texas' most talked about players. 

He finally got a chance to showcase his abilities for public consumption during this past Saturday's Orange and White spring game, and he didn't disappoint.

Whittington was one of the few bright spots on Saturday night in Austin. He carried the ball 12 times for 62 yards to finish as the Longhorns' leading rusher, while also catching four passes for 27 yards.

Whittington, who was the nation's No. 2-ranked athlete, per 247 Sports, has the skill set to play multiple positions, and many thought he may play receiver initially. But with Texas needing some immediate depth help in the backfield, and with his explosive running ability, he's assimilated quickly as a running back so far.

Texas coach Tom Herman said after the spring game that the versatile Whittington will stay in the backfield for the foreseeable future.






"He could probably go drive the bus tomorrow, too, if we asked him to," Herman said. "I'm amazed at how well he took to that position. Just his ability to, having never played that position, go in there and do some of the things that he has done throughout the course of the spring, so it wouldn't shock me if he could go do something else, too. But for now, that is his position. 

"Obviously getting him in space is to our advantage, but there is something to be said for running between the tackles and making a safety miss and then there's nobody left, too. He can do all of that. You kind of did see a glimpse of what we've seen from him throughout the spring."

Texas offensive coordinator Tim Beck even recently called Whittington the most impressive player he's seen during spring camp.

"Really smart football player. His football savvy is a lot like LJ (Humphrey), but he's faster -- much faster," Beck said. "He can play a lot of positions. He understands the game. He's a quick learn. He's very dynamic with the ball in his hands."

Following spring camp, Whittington projects to be No. 2 on the depth chart, behind sophomore Keaontay Ingram, and should receive plenty of touches in 2019, whether that's taking a handoff or catching the ball out of the backfield.

Expect Whittington to make an impact next season and for him to grow into a huge weapon for the Longhorns during his career.



https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/texaslonghorns/2019/04/18/jordan-whittington-texas-longhorns-breakout-player-spring

 

[primal defense]

College basketball coaching moves: Grading 2015's biggest hires four years later







 
TEXAS





The hire: Shaka Smart

Grade: C-plus

Smart's gone 71-66 with two NCAA Tournament appearances -- no wins there -- and a 2019 NIT title (which should be applauded). The Longhorns are 31-41 in Big 12 play under Smart, their best finish being fourth in his first season in Austin. That's rough.

Recruiting-wise, Smart has delivered. Texas has lured Andrew Jones, Jarrett Allen, Mohamed Bamba and Will Baker, all five-star recruits, to sign for Smart. The Longhorns' recruiting-class rankings the past four years: No. 6, 6, 8, 13 according to 247Sports. The contrast of those rankings and lack of NCAA Tournament success is what's hurting Smart's reputation.

There's no denying that Smart's name will be as prominent as any coach in college basketball in terms of 2019-20 hot-seat status. There's also no denying that Smart will have options moving forward. If UT doesn't have a strong season (and make the NCAAs) next year, a split seems inevitable.





 



 





The hire: Rick Barnes

Grade: A-minus

If a Final Four appearance had come to be in 2019, this would have been an automatic "A." Barnes has done wonders for Tennessee, though: an 88-50 record; the recruitment and development of two-time SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams; an SEC regular-season title; a No. 2 seed and a No. 3 seed in consecutive seasons. Tennessee's 31-6 mark in 2018-19 matched for the most wins in a season in program history.  

And now Barnes is landing five-star players for Tennessee, which is good, considering Barnes just admitted on Tuesday that he'd have bailed on Tennessee if UCLA was willing to pay his buyout. OK, then, Rick!

Barnes is the only coach on this list who has a team ranked in Gary Parrish's Way Too Early Top 25 And 1 for 2019-20. 








https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/college-basketball-coaching-moves-grading-2015s-biggest-hires-four-years-later/

 

[primal defense]

After years of bad luck, Texas RB Kirk Johnson finally ready to make a mark

https://www.expressnews.com/sports/college_sports/longhorns/article/After-years-of-bad-luck-Texas-RB-Kirk-Johnson-13778974.php

 

[primal defense]

Spring Check-In: Texas




[SIZE=inherit]21[/SIZE]




Burnt Orange Nation’s Wescott Eberts gives us some scoop on how spring went for LSU’s marquee non-conference opponent.


By [SIZE=inherit]Billy Gomila@ATVS_ChefBilly[/SIZE] [SIZE=inherit] [/SIZE]Apr 22, 2019, 9:16am CDT


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[SIZE=inherit]

[/SIZE]John Gutierrez-USA TODAY Sports


1. How did spring drills go over in Austin?


As Tom Herman said after the Orange-White game last weekend, the Longhorns wanted to accomplish three things this spring -- improve the running game, which failed to produce a play of 40 or more yards last season, see improvement from the young cornerbacks, and find a front six on offense.

In the running game, the first-team offensive line improved its cohesiveness while working in three new starters, while the top two running backs, sophomore Keaontay Ingram and freshman Jordan Whittington, a do-it-all athlete in high school who was classified as a receiver, led a group that produced more explosive plays in 14 practices than the running game did all of last season. Ingram is stronger with better vision and patience and Whittington adjusted to the position remarkably quickly given that he’d never played it before, though he did take some direct snaps in high school.

Defensively, sophomore cornerback Jalen Green was as good during the spring game as any defender, while redshirt freshman nose tackle Keondre Coburn flashed and the two new inside linebackers, senior Jeffrey McCulloch and redshirt freshman Ayodele Adeoye, looked excellent in pass coverage and largely avoided missed tackles. The development of McCulloch, who had an interception, two pass breakups, and three pressures, was particularly heartening because he’s now playing the weakside linebacker position after moving from the Texas hybrid B-backer role and there aren’t any other experienced options there.

Additionally, Texas was able to get some first-team reps for backup quarterback Casey Thompson, a redshirt freshman who played on the scout team last season and looked like a capable replacement if starter Sam Ehlinger once again suffers an injury.


2. Texas ended 2018 on a high note with that Sugar Bowl win, but the team is losing a healthy amount of production. So how does that impact expectations for the 2019 squad?


I’ve received a far amount of pushback from optimistic Longhorns fans when noting my concerns about the eight departing defensive starters from last season, who combined for more than 230 starts at Texas. To me, it’s going to be really hard to replace all of those players, especially Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year Charles Omenihu, the team’s only elite pass rusher last season, and all three starting cornerbacks. So Texas is entering this season without any proven pass rushers and with a lot of youth and inexperience at cornerback, which is going to make it hard to limit big plays and get opposing offenses off the field.








This is a program that needs to compete for a Big 12 title this season and I think there’s a good chance that happens with Oklahoma losing some really key contributors on offense, but I think this is a roster that will really peak in the 2020 season in terms of contending for a national title.


3. People will expect big things from Sam Ehlinger and the offense moving forward. What do they need to improve upon from last year, and how did they look this spring?


The big key is explosiveness. Texas was one of two FCS schools that failed to produce a play of 50 or more yards last season. And much of the limited explosiveness that was present departed when wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey left early for the NFL after leading the conference in catches of 20 or more yards last season. Humphrey also had 25 catches that converted third downs. So Ehlinger needs to find a new security blanket on third down and produce more explosive passing plays, including forging a better connection with Z receiver Devin Duvernay, a speedster with whom Ehlinger had trouble connecting on the deep routes Texas likes to run from that position.

Unfortunately, the offense wasn’t able to show off that newfound explosiveness because of gusting wind during the spring game, but there was enough evidence of the offense producing big plays in practice, including in the aforementioned running game, that there’s cause for optimism in that regard heading into the 2019 season.


4. Defensively, the Longhorns lose a ton of starters, but off a unit that struggled. What’s the expectation on that side of the ball with a new cast in 2019?


My expectations are limited by the youth, lack of depth at linebacker, and concerns about finding a true pass rusher. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando may need to find some non-defensive linemen who are excellent blitzers, because I’m not sure that he’s going to be able to produce a lot of pressure from his defensive line. Senior Malcolm Roach, a former hybrid edge defender, and sophomore B-backer Joseph Ossai are the best bets there, but combined for a single sack last season.


5. What’s the feeling among Longhorn fans on this match-up?


That Mike and Bevo probably shouldn’t have a pre-game photo opportunity in close proximity. No one wants that type of potential mutually-assured destruction. And no one in Austin wants to deal with the PETA email blast that would inevitably follow after that silly organization called for the retirement of both live mascots following the Sugar Bowl incident.

Since Texas is so clearly back now, there’s a lot of confidence rolling through the Longhorns fanbase right now and not much respect for the LSU offense, so fans were surprised by the early line favoring the Tigers so heavily. I wasn’t that surprised personally and think fans are underestimating Joe Burrow a little bit and overestimating the capacity of this defense to play at a quality level by the second game of the season.


6. Anything y’all would like us to pass on to the Aggies when we see them?


Tell them it’s sad and pathetic that they spend so much time heralding the achievements of other conference members as a way to feel better about their own incredible lack of success in the SEC.



 

 




https://www.andthevalleyshook.com/2019/4/22/18507100/2019-lsu-football-spring-practice-texas-longhorns